Dolphins GM may have tipped his hand....

Posted by Mike Florio on April 17, 2008, 5:11 p.m.
During a Thursday press conference with the media, Miami Dolphins G.M. Jeff Ireland might have given a big hint as to the team’s plans for the first overall pick.
Or maybe not.
“I’m going after the player who best fits us,” Ireland said. ”That’s the best way I can say it. I don’t want bad guys on my team. Of course I want guys who have great upside; it’s the first pick in the draft. You hope that this guy is a pillar of your defense for a long time. Of course we think he’s going to have upside. I, the economics, to me . . . ”
And then Ireland was interrupted by delayed laughter. And then he clarified, to more laughter, that he meant defense or offense. He even called it a Freudian slip. (Actually, this is a Freudian slip.)
Though the press conference is available without editing on the team’s official web site, the quotes circulated by the team’s P.R. department replaced “defense” with “[team]” — and omitted any reference to the unscripted moment of comedy that broke out during the event.
Surely, there’s a guy at the top of the team’s draft board. The fact that they started the negotiation process with Michigan offensive tackle Jake Long doesn’t mean that he’s the guy. The fact that Ireland said “pillar of your defense” strongly suggests to us that they have settled on a defensive player as the pick, and perhaps that they weren’t even all that serious about drafting Jake Long. Or maybe Long was the guy and they’ve exhausted the possibilities of signing him and have now moved on to a defensive player, like Vernon Gholston or Chris Long.
Regardless, we think “pillar of your defense” wasn’t a misstatement.

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Who knows if it was really a slip of the tongue. For all we know they could be playing everyone. But I don't see why they should, I don't see their advantage. But rumors of late put Golhston as the next prospect on the dolphins board. Please, just anyone but Chris Long Miami. Anyways,these mind games are starting to get under my skin, I'm done with all the speculating and the educated guesses. I have my draft party ready and I can't wait. 8 Days 21 Hours 25 Minutes 11 Seconds left until The Commish announces the 1str over all pick. In short........ bring it on.

Re: Dolphins GM may have tipped his hand....

Watching ESPN's interview of Chris Long, Chris said that he's only had contact with the Rams and Raiders outside of the combine and pro day. Kiper and Mcshay both believe his best position is 4-3 end for us/the Raiders and the general consensus of the hosts were saying he's the best player in the draft, regardless of position. Michael Smith expects to see articles about how he isn't acting like a rookie and related an anecdote about an interview at the combine asking Long what he'd do with his time now that he's out of school. Chris apparently said that he'd spend the time watching film and getting his body in shape with help of a nutritionist. Sounds good to me. How about you guys? Anyone think Gholston or Dorsey would spend all their free time watching film like Manning?

Re: Dolphins GM may have tipped his hand....

Originally Posted by TekeRam

Watching ESPN's interview of Chris Long, Chris said that he's only had contact with the Rams and Raiders outside of the combine and pro day. Kiper and Mcshay both believe his best position is 4-3 end for us/the Raiders and the general consensus of the hosts were saying he's the best player in the draft, regardless of position. Michael Smith expects to see articles about how he isn't acting like a rookie and related an anecdote about an interview at the combine asking Long what he'd do with his time now that he's out of school. Chris apparently said that he'd spend the time watching film and getting his body in shape with help of a nutritionist. Sounds good to me. How about you guys? Anyone think Gholston or Dorsey would spend all their free time watching film like Manning?

I can only hope to see how your posts suddenly do an about-face if we ended up with Vernon Gholston. Now that would be classic. Don't worry, I'd even allow you to act like Chris Long was a smokescreen for you.

Re: Dolphins GM may have tipped his hand....

Originally Posted by Fortuninerhater

I can only hope to see how your posts suddenly do an about-face if we ended up with Vernon Gholston. Now that would be classic. Don't worry, I'd even allow you to act like Chris Long was a smokescreen for you.

If Chris is gone to Miami, I'll be quite content with Gholston, but I'm still going to be worried until he puts together a complete season that he'll continue to be an inconsistent athlete who happens to play football, rather than a real football player. If it was just about speed and strength, anyone could play defensive end. It takes more than that, however. It takes vision and heart and desire. Long shows that every single play. Gholston doesn't.

If we pass up Long to get Gholston, I'll still very much support him, because he's a Ram. However, Long will still be my favored of the two, and some other team will be very very lucky with him.

Re: Dolphins GM may have tipped his hand....

Originally Posted by TekeRam

If Chris is gone to Miami, I'll be quite content with Gholston, but I'm still going to be worried until he puts together a complete season that he'll continue to be an inconsistent athlete who happens to play football, rather than a real football player. If it was just about speed and strength, anyone could play defensive end. It takes more than that, however. It takes vision and heart and desire. Long shows that every single play. Gholston doesn't.

If we pass up Long to get Gholston, I'll still very much support him, because he's a Ram. However, Long will still be my favored of the two, and some other team will be very very lucky with him.

Teke, you can't be happy with both Chris Long and Vernon Gholston as a Ram. You must love one and hate the other.......just how mother nature intended. And having questions of a player based on what they've shown on the field for their college career is merely a facade for the sheer execration you feel towards this bete noire.

"Before the gates of excellence the high gods have placed sweat; long is the road thereto and rough and steep at first; but when the heights are reached, then there is ease, though grievously hard in the winning." --- Hesiod